Tennis-bat.



I Patented Nov. I8, 1902'. W. E. BUSSEY.

TENNIS BAT.

(Ammonia: filed. Dec. 31, 1901.

(Ila laid.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

WILLIAM ETON BUSSEY, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

TENNIS-BAT.

SPECIFICATION forming; part of Letters Patent No. 713,953, dated November 18, 1902.

Application filed December 31, 1901. Serial No. 87.909. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM ETON BUS- SEY, sports manufacturer, 2. subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at 133 Rye Lane, Peckham, London, England, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in the Construction of Tennis and Analogous Bats or Rackets, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to construct bats or rackets for tennis, racket, badminton, and other like games in an improved manner. In such bats or rackets as usually constructed the frame, which is made of bent wood, is provided with a centerpiece or wedge. The center piece or wed ge-is usually secured in position by means of glue or other cementing adhesive, which joint is rein forced by two screws which pass through from side to side at the neck, binding or securing the center piece or wedge between the two limbs of the frame. With this method the center piece or wedge is liable to become loose, thus rendering the racket ineffective.

According to my invention I form the contact or adjoining surfaces of the center piece or wedge and the frame in such a manner that they interlock, whereby transverse dislocation of said center piece or wedge is prevented.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which similar lettors of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Figure 1 is an elevation of a racket (unstrung) constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a section of Fig. 1 on the line 1 2. Fig. 3 is a section of Fig. l on the line 3 4. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are corresponding sections of modifications, taken on a similar line 3 4.

a is the frame,which is formed of bentwood, as usual.

I) is the center piece or Wedge.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the frame is fashioned with a central rib or tongue 0, and the center piece or wedge is formed with a corresponding groove, as clearly shown in the drawings. The tongues on the frame and the grooves in the wedge 5 preferably extend throughout the whole length of their respective contact-surfaces. The tongue 0 also extends around the frame, as shown in Fig. 1.

Figs. 4, 5, and 6 illustrate in similar views to Fig. 3 modified methods of locking the wedge 27 to the frame 00, and it will be obvious that many other equivalent methods may be employed to effect the aim and object of my inventionviz. the interlocking of the frame and center piece or wedge.

In Fig. 4 both the frame a and the wedge b are grooved, a tongue or fillet d, common to both, being employed to interlock the wedge and frame transversely.

In Fig. 5 the frame a is fashioned to a semicircular or other convex section, and the wedge is correspondingly formed with concave surfaces, or the convexity and concavity may be reversed.

In Fig. 6 the frame a is formed with two tongues e e, fitting similar grooves in the wedge-piece, or the two respective surfaces may be corrugated longitudinally.

I claim 1. In a racket of the character specified, the combination with a frame, the ends of which are bent together to form a handle for the racket, of a wedge-piece fitted between the meeting portions of said frame, the joint between said frame and said wedge-piece being such as to prevent lateral displacement of said wedge-piece, and the upper surface of said wedge-piece forming the lower boundary of the opening through said frame, substantially as described.

2. In a racket the combination of the frame at having the rib 0 formed integral therewith and extending approximately the entire length of said frame, the ends of said frame being bent together to form a handle for the racket, and a wedge-piece fitted between the meeting ends of said frame, said wedge-piece having suitable depressions or grooves to receive said integral rib c, and the upper surface of said wedge-piece forming the lower boundary of the opening through said frame.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM ETON BUSSEY.

Witnesses:

GEORGE C. DOWNING, G. F. .WARREN. 

